Pages

Thursday, March 30, 2017

Heartbreak and Joy

My family history research lately has been descendancy research. I come across little Marie Anna Pintal yesterday while researching a 3rd cousin of mine. She died at age 1 month due to spina bifida. I was shocked to see those words spina bifida on an 1889 death record!! What mixed emotions I felt! I am so sad for this family. I am just heartbroken especially for her mama. There was no treatment available for spina bifida back then, no surgery, no antibiotics to be prevent infection. Mostly likely Anna suffered a slow and difficult death. I wonder if her mom got to hold her and nurse her. I wonder if little Anna had hydrocephalus also. I hope her passing was peaceful and not painful.

On the other side, I feel joy. Joy because when I heard the words spina bifida as a diagnosis for my son, I lived in a day and age of the miracle of modern medicine. Without surgery when he was infant Evan would NOT have lived very long, just like little Marie Anna, I feel Joy, because I was able to spend time with Evan today and watch him enjoy the great outdoors on his handcycle. He lives a full and busy life and is a just a delight! We are very blessed!

Rolling on the Bob Jones Bike Trail

I also feel joy for the Pintal family. Gideon and Emmerance had 15 children. Some died young, some lived long lives, some I don't know how long they lived. However, I know that they can be a forever family. And, what great joy they will feel to be together again!!